Space  Architecture


Time
2025

Program

MIT 
MAS.S66/4.154/16.89 Space Architecture
Team
Chris Kwon , Berfin Ataman, Shantelle Ortiz





This project proposes a Deployable Re-entry Rescue Capsule, a compact, inflatable emergency return system designed to address critical contingencies aboard space stations. As part of MIT’s Space Architecture coursework, the capsule offers a rapidly deployable solution for medical, structural, social, or political emergencies that require immediate re-entry to Earth.

Inspired by emerging space technologies such as inflatable habitats and origami-based modules, the design balances compact stowability with full deployment capability, allowing it to attach to space stations, sustain essential life support, and safely transport crew back to Earth. Key innovations include an inflatable heat shield, a modular ECLSS (Environmental Control and Life Support System), and an augmented reality interface for enhanced human-system interaction.

This project not only imagines a technical solution for space emergencies but also rethinks the human experience of crisis response in orbit, blending advanced systems integration, human-centered design, and engineering feasibility into a unified space architecture concept.





Contact

Email: yuhan_wang@gsd.harvard.edu
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuhan-wang-095874264